Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic S5

In this write-up, we will be evaluating the Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic S5, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by competitors Olympus and Panasonic. There is a crucial difference between the image resolutions of the E-M5 II (16MP) and S5 (24MP) and the E-M5 II (Four Thirds) and S5 (Full frame) come with totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The E-M5 II was announced 6 years prior to the S5 which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras offer the identical body type (SLR-style mirrorless).

Before diving through a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the E-M5 II scores against the S5 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Olympus OM-D E-M5 II and Panasonic Lumix DC-S5. The whole galleries are provided at Olympus E-M5 II Gallery and Panasonic S5 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera regularly, you'll have to consider its weight and volume. The Olympus E-M5 II has physical dimensions of 124mm x 85mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 1.8") and a weight of 469 grams (1.03 lbs) while the Panasonic S5 has sizing of 133mm x 97mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 3.2") along with a weight of 714 grams (1.57 lbs).

Check out the Olympus E-M5 II vs Panasonic S5 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are using during that time. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the E-M5 II compared to the S5.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the E-M5 II and S5 is 80 and 60 respectively.

Generally, it's difficult to visualise the difference between sensor dimensions purely by going over a spec sheet. The picture below may give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the E-M5 II and S5.

As you can see, the 2 cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The E-M5 II having a tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field tougher and the Panasonic S5 will offer you extra detail with its extra 8MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots far more aggressively. The more aged E-M5 II is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.